Harry Potter and The Mirror's Gift

PART ONE Chapter 1

(Note: I wrote this many years ago, and published it on Fanfiction.net. It was written before Book 4 (Goblet of Fire) had been written, so there are some errors. Please take it as an AU. It is essentially a Lupin fic, written because I wasn't happy with the ending Lupin had in Prisoner of Azkaban, so I decided to give him a better one).

A new school year has begun. At the start of term feast, Harry is pleased to see that Professor Lupin is back as Defence Against the Dark Arts master. After the feast, he goes to see Lupin in his office, but they are interrupted halfway by Professor Dumbledore.

There was a knock on the door, and Dumbledore came in.

"I've just received a letter from Professor Bubcek, Remus," he said, hardly seeming to notice that Harry was there. "There's trouble in Kamchatka. He's asked me to help, and asked if you could come too."

Lupin looked surprised. "What sort of trouble?"

Dumbledore looked bemused. "Someone from the dark side appears to be trying to collect followers again. Oleg thinks it's Voldemort, but I don't think..." Dumbledore shook his head thoughtfully, then added, "it seems he's using a demon to help him."

Lupin looked even more surprised.

Dumbledore said, "There's more to it, but no time to explain. It sounds urgent...I'd like to go at once. Will you come?"

"Of course," Lupin said swiftly. He turned to Harry.

"Harry, I have to go...we'll talk another time, shall we?"

"All right," said Harry, rather taken aback, but curious. What could be happening? Was Voldemort back...?

Dumbledore and Lupin had moved over to the centre of the room.

"Portkeys don't work in Kamchatka," Lupin was saying, "because of the volcanoes."

"Yes, and we can't Apparate the usual way from here," replied Dumbledore. "I'm going to open a Vortex."

He lifted his wand. "It's a long distance...I'll have to concentrate a bit harder..."

There was a brilliant flash of light. It filled the whole room, then the room seemed to start to spin, faster and faster...Harry could feel himself being sucked into the Vortex. He tried to grab at the door, but was pulled away...everything rushed by in a blur, and he felt himself losing consciousness.

"Harry! Wake up!"

Harry found himself lying on the ground. Professor Lupin was tapping him hard on the face. He slowly opened his eyes.

"Are you all right?" Lupin asked. Dumbledore was standing behind Lupin, watching.

Harry blinked. He felt as if he had been beaten thoroughly with a stick. His whole body ached.

"Fine," he muttered, sitting up. He stared around.

They weren't at Hogwarts any more. The morning sun shone down on him, but the air was cold. Harry shivered. Towering over him was a castle, smaller than the one at Hogwarts. Harry looked at it, fascinated. It was brightly coloured, but its most distinctive feature was that each tower was crowned with an onion-shaped dome.

The surrounding countryside was a large expanse of bleak, wild-looking forest. In the distance, Harry could see what looked like a line of smoking volcanoes.

Lupin was saying to Dumbledore, "The Vortex sucked him in as well. You have to send him back."

"I can't, today, Remus," Dumbledore replied, with a swift glance at Harry. "The Vortex can only be opened once a day."